Pym is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name that is derived from the name Euphemia where it is a short form of that name. The surname Pym originally derived from the Old English word Pymma which came from Euphemia. The surname Pym referred to the son of Euphemia which belongs to the category of patronymic surnames.

Early Origins of the Pym family

The surname Pym was first found in Somerset where the family can be "traced to Philip Pym, of Brymmore, 12 Edward IV." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print. Indeed, there is much debate about the origin of this name. Another reference claims "considering that Eufemia is fairly common in the Hundred Rolls, that Pimme is feminine, and Phemie is still the nickname, it all but certain that we have here the solution of the name in question. Personally I have no doubt that this derivation is correct. " [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X) The Hundred Rolls of 1273 lists the following: Eufemmia de Neville in Lincolnshire; Katerina Eufemme in Norfolk; Pimme, widow of Peter Seman in Cumberland; Bartholomew filius Pimme in Hunts; Chun Pimme in Cambridge and finally Henry Pimme in Cambridge. Later the YorkshirePoll Tax Rolls of 1379, list Agnes Pyme and Johannes Pymson. [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)

Early History of the Pym family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pym research.Another 259 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1440, 1663, 1584, 1643, 1615, 1671, 1641, 1648 and 1660 are included under the topic Early Pym History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pym Spelling Variations

Pym has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Pym have been found, including Pym, Pymm, Pyme, Pymme, Pim, Pimm, Pimme and others.

Early Notables of the Pym family (pre 1700)

Distinguished members of the family include John Pym (1584-1643), English statesman, who moved for the impeachment of advisers to Charles I, actions which led to the English Civil War; and Sir Charles... Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pym Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pym family to Ireland

Some of the Pym family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 39 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pym family to the New World and Oceana

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Pyms to arrive on North American shores:

Pym Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Henry Pym, who settled in Barbados in 1668

Mary Pym, who settled in Virginia in 1673

Pym Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Charles Pym, who arrived in New England in 1715 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

^ Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)